Page 111 of Christmas with the Elkin Billionaires

“It’s really none of your business.” No matter how much he didn’t want to be talking about this, Jonas forced his body to stay relaxed. It was as if he had some instinct to stay calm, to protect Scott from any agitation. “What’s happened in my life belongs to me, not the rest of you.”

Chase put both hands through his hair. He’d come back to Elk Lodge not long ago, after his ski career collapsed and he was rudderless, his leg hurting him and his heart bleak. “I don’t understand how this could have happened.”

“Well, when two people come together and…”

“Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean. I’m talking about you, Mr. Straightlaced and by the book.”

“Life happened.” Anger pricked at the back of his neck. Thingshappened. Like Chase’s relationship with Tana, which had happened fast, and which Jonas hadn’t been thrilled about. Not that he didn’t like Tana, because he did. She was a great ski instructor. But Chase had become a bit of a player when he started competing professionally, and Jonas didn’t want to deal with the aftermath when his brother eventually screwed things up with her. And yet, Chase was here, confronting him about Rachel.

“It’s not like you,” Chase said, keeping his voice even, confusion written on his face. “You don’t keep secrets like this. Why now?”

Jonas swallowed another flash of irritation. He’d needed them to look up to him over the years. Tolistento him, for the good of the family and the good of the resort. That had been hard enough to maintain, especially with Gabe. His brother had left as soon as humanly possible and only showed up this year because of their grandmother’s diagnosis.

“I’m disappointed, honestly,” Chase said, his hands open on his lap. “You’ve been pushy with us for years about how our behavior reflects on the family and Elk Lodge, but now you want us to turn a blind eye to your own indiscretions.”

“First of all…” Jonas struggled for control. Scott readjusted in his arms, still drinking from the sippy cup, unaware of the thick tension in the room. “Scott is not an indiscretion. And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t bring this up with Grandmother.”

“What? You can’t have it both ways, Jonas. Either he’s a secret, or he’s not. When do you plan on letting her know?” Chase narrowed his eyes. “Or are you planning on waiting until she passes away to bring your son’s existence to light?”

“I don’t know,” Jonas snapped. “Is that what you want to hear? I don’t know what I’m going to do or say, or when I’m going to say it. If I recall, you also kept us in the dark about someone close to you until the time was right. Maybe in this situation, the time will never be right.”

“Good morning,” Rachel’s soft voice cut through his soul, and a chill ran down his spine. How long had she been standing there? She padded across the living room and held out her arms to Scott, who beamed at her and leaned forward to scramble into her arms. “We’ll get out of your way.”

“No.” Chase stood up. “I’ll get out of your way. I shouldn’t have come.”

Jonas stood too, at a loss for what to say or who to follow.

Rachel was heading back up the stairs and Chase was making a hasty exit, pulling his coat on as he went.

“Stop,” he said, calling after his brother. “Wait.”

“We’ll talk later,” Chase said. “That’s what you want, isn’t it?” He opened the door and stepped out into the morning light, and then he was gone.

Jonas stood for a heartbeat in the middle of the living room. The meeting between brothers hadn’t gone well. And now, he was left to face Rachel. He climbed the stairs after her and found them in the spare bedroom, Scott playing on the bed while Rachel tugged a shirt over his head. “—go soon, buddy,” she was saying.

“Go, go, go,” Scott repeated.

Jonas’s mind was a storm.Don’t go.He didn’t want her to leave, not even a little. The closeness from the night before had been shut off, hidden behind a closed door, but that couldn’t be the end of it. His brothers couldn’t be allowed to dictate the relationship. He couldnotlet them take this chance from him.

“Talk to me,” Jonas said.

She looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes bright with hurt. Rachel gave him a brave smile anyway. “You know, if you don’t want your grandmother to find out about us, then we shouldn’t risk the gossip. I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to stay any longer.”

“What I said down there.” He was at loose ends. “What I meant was that I need a better plan when it comes to telling my grandmother about us. And the way I said it came out wrong. I didn’t expect Chase to come over here. I didn’t expect them to know about Scott or us.”

“It’s okay.” Her answer wasn’t convincing. “I know how hard this is for you. The timing. But I know what’s good for me, too. I know I can’t stay here while you struggle to keep me hidden and fight with your brothers.” Rachel’s eyes glistened. “Really, Jonas, I think we have enough photos to make a wonderful album. You can take some of your own photos on New Year’s, and I’ll be happy to add them in, it’s just—I don’t think we should stay. We can’t stay,” she said, more firmly.

It reminded him of every anxiety he’d had as a child, as powerfully as if he were experiencing them all over again. It had started with the car accident. His parents had both died, and everything after that was a whirlwind of trying to get any sense of stability. If their car could go off the road, then anything could happen at the resort. Jonas hadn’t expected that this specific scenario—the one in which his one-night stand reappeared in his life with his child—would happen, and now it was all coming apart at the seams.

His heart beat frantically. Chase’s questions—and his sorry responses—couldn’t be the reason they left. But he had no reasonable way to explain what had happened, other than what he’d already said. And he couldn’t stop casting about for the magic words that would take them back to before Chase had shown up on his doorstep, to before Rachel had overheard the conversation.

Except there weren’t any.

She took a pair of small pants out of the diaper bag and helped Scott into them. It was like standing on the train tracks, watching the train come, and being powerless to stop the collision.

“We could figure this out.”

“Not now, we can’t.” When Rachel looked up at him again, there were no more tears in her eyes. “If you’re so intent on keeping this from your grandmother until the very last moment, then all we can do is focus on the work we have to do, and duck out early. That will free you up to say whatever you need to say. And then you can—” She shrugged, picking up Scott, and nuzzling his cheek with her nose. “We can always talk later.”

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